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The impossible is often the untried. -- Jim Goodwin

CASE HISTORIES


Billing Dispute Resolution Process Improvements (credit card processor)

  • Coached the operating team and staff in process analysis methods
  • Identified process bottlenecks and delay points; developed solutions
  • Cut the average dispute resolution time by 70%
  • Balanced workloads and improved staff morale and advancement opportunities

Classified Advertising Process Improvements (metro newspaper)

  • Diagnosed problems: three teams not making progress as hoped
  • Coached teams in team-based and DMAIC project methods
  • Reduced ad turnaround times; increased revenues; improved customer satisfaction

Complex Sales Process (capital equipment manufacturer)

  • Cross-functional, Critical Process Team (CPT) project structure
  • Refined the customer/supplier requirements
  • Defined methods for managing the multiple decision-maker relationships

Continual Improvement Made Practical (first-tier automotive supplier)

  • 80,000# mold change times reduced from 2.5 hours to 30 minutes by the Tool Swap Team. Changeovers as organized as Indy pit-stops.
  • 80 miles of daily walking eliminated in trim cells by the initial 5S Team
  • 10,600 SF of floor space liberated by the Clean Sweep Team
  • Materials handling costs saved by the Rack Readiness Team
  • Case History: Lean CI Development

Emergency Room Process Improvements (hospital)

  • Led ER personnel in analyzing the ER processes to identify problems and wastes
  • Facilitated team development and implementation of major process improvements
  • Increased facility capacities without capital or HR expenditures
  • Set a new pattern (long sought) for such collaborative efforts going forward

ERP Support Systems Plan (industrial equipment manufacturer)

  • Facilitated executive team development of future vision for ERP needs
  • Defined appropriate-scale ERP functionality required for the vision
  • Established processes for collaboration and consensus on core operations issues

Lean Manufacturing Line Redesign (industrial equipment manufacturer)

Line Changeover Time Reduction (electronic equipment manufacturer)

  • Reduced line changeover time from 1 hour to 12 minutes
  • Increased net throughput capacity by 25%
  • Increased marginal income by $3.5 million per year

Manufacturing Strategy Development (hardware supplies manufacturer)

  • Used Lean Flow manufacturing best practices
  • Minimized non-value overhead
  • Clarified requirements for a new management information system (ERP)
  • Reached a consensus understanding of how the manufacturing and overhead functions will have to become "leaner" to maintain market leadership

New Business Client Experience Process (financial services)

  • Structured project as a Rapid Improvement Event (RIE)
  • Used Lean process improvement tools and process design concepts
  • Improved the initial definition of client expectations
  • Increased customer satisfaction scores on implementation activities
  • Reduced the average variance between planned and actual implementation times
  • Increased process flexibility to accommodate a wide range of client times

Process Management Metrics Development (electric utility)

  • Defined key performance indicators (KPIs) needed for process management
  • Analyzed existing metrics and reporting
  • Rebuilt the reporting systems to sustain the KPIs and continual improvement

Production Line Change-Over Improvements (electronic equipment)

  • Led kaizen blitz event with line personnel, staff, and engineers
  • Major reduction in routine line change-over times from order to order
  • Benefits over $1 million per year (operating savings and marginal income)

Production Process Innovation (meat processor)

  • Overcame previous resistance to "impossible" major operating changes
  • $8 million per year immediate cost savings; $22 million potential
  • $10 million near-term capital investment avoidance
  • Adopted new paradigms for developing operational improvements
  • Case History: Process Redesign CPR

Research Grants Process Improvement (healthcare foundation)

  • Led creation of the new QI Process for continual improvement
  • Reduced through time (lead time) by 50% on a critical cross-functional process
  • Also significantly reduced rework, and improved customer satisfaction

Shipping Service Renovation (supplier to big box retailers)

  • Returned on-time shipping performance to 99% (from 86%)
  • Reduced finished goods inventories by 23%
  • Set pattern for team-based process improvement projects
  • Modified support systems needed to sustain the gains
  • Case History: Shipping Service

Six Sigma Initiative Launch (instrumentation manufacturer)

  • Managed engagement for Motorola's Six Sigma Consulting Group
  • Implementation sites throughout North America and SE Asia
  • Benefits in millions of $

Strategic CI Metrics Development (supplier to big box retailers)

  • Developed KPIs (key performance indicators) to align improvement efforts with the business unit's strategic goals
  • Created a roadmap for development of a sustainable, company-wide CI process
  • Case History: Strategic CI Metrics

Streamlined Business Support Processes (meat processor)

  • $760,000 "hard" cost savings
  • $1 million "soft" cost savings for further development that will help avoid near-term staff additions
  • Created action plans to solve several chronic problems in scheduling, customer service, and other areas
  • Outlined a customized Continual Improvement Process to meet the specific business and cultural needs
  • Case History: Support Processes for IM